Yesterday, CBS News -- the same TV channel that Trump wants to shut down, which he refers to by the nickname of Fake News Their reporter, "piggy," revealed something that at first seems a bit crazy: "Trump administration officials discussed on Saturday the possibility of dropping leaflets over Venezuela's capital, Caracas, in an attempt to weaken the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro."
Why does that seem crazy, and yet it can't be otherwise? Because, in a world full of social media, distributing leaflets, as they did in Vietnam, makes no sense, but what makes sense is talking about it, the psychological operation of showing what they would be capable of.
Americans have all sorts of psychological operations manuals; we'll explain them here so you don't get fooled. As Dame pa' matala says: be careful, because those people are a mastermind.
PSYOP, psychological operations
The instrumentalization of Psychological Operations (PSYOP) and Information Warfare as fundamental pillars of current military strategy is undeniable. The United States incorporates the use of these tools, both emotional and cognitive, into the doctrinal design of its military operations to achieve social and political control both within and beyond its borders.
This is stipulated by FM Manual 3-05.301 Psychological Operations Process: Tactics, Techniques and Procedures of the U.S. Army. The manual is categorical when it indicates its applicability: "This publication applies to the Active Army, the Army National Guard/United States Army National Guard, and the United States Army Reserve (USAR), unless otherwise indicated."
According to that manual, PSYOPs are operations designed to transmit precise information and indicators to enemy audiences in order to influence their emotions, motives, and behavior. Hopelessness, anxiety, fear, and demoralization are non-kinetic (unconventional) weapons that operate on the psychosocial fabric. The manipulation of emotions aims at collective submission, the erosion of the will to resist, and the normalization of political or military agendas.
From the fear of war to the war of fear
Psychological warfare is defined as the set of actions aimed at influencing the opinions, emotions, and behavior of enemy forces and their populations. Fear is an essential tool for the strategy of legitimizing security policies and justifying military interventions.
But what psychological theories underpin such operations? Undoubtedly, the use of theories to achieve the submission of the target population is evident. Thus, we have an epistemological and methodological framework that supports psychological actions and that is widely documented and used; some of these are highlighted below:
Applied Psychological Theories
The Overton Window Theory
This theory argues that there is a range of socially accepted ideas at a given historical moment, known as the Overton Windowand that this range can shift through processes of persuasion and manipulation. According to this theory, ideas initially considered unthinkable or radical can come to be seen as acceptable if the perception of so-called Public opinionA key mechanism in this movement is the emotional manipulation of society, specifically through fear: by amplifying dangers or threats, a disturbance is created in the emotions of the target population, facilitating the acceptance of previously rejected proposals and thus justifying normative and political changes that, under normal circumstances, would be difficult to accept. In this way, the population's fear becomes a powerful tool for expanding the boundaries of what is possible and normalizing new ideas or policies. The Overton Window prescribes norms so that ideas considered unthinkable can be normalized through the manipulation of collective emotions, especially fear.
Full Spectrum Domain Theory
This concept is developed in strategic documents such as the Joint Vision 2020 (Joint Vision), initially published in 2000 by the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Full Spectrum Dominance Theory posits that a military force must be capable of dominating and operating effectively across all domains of conflict, including land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace, to ensure total strategic supremacy against any enemy. This approach envisions the coordinated integration of military, technological, informational, and psychological capabilities, facilitating power projection and deterrence on multiple fronts simultaneously (hybrid warfare). Thus, Full Spectrum Dominance seeks not only victory in conventional wars but also control of information, public perception/opinion, and the critical apparatus to establish global hegemony in times of war and peace. This theory is part of the military doctrine that postulates supremacy in all domains of conflict (physical, informational, cognitive, emotional), where control of perception and psychological terror are as important as brute force.
Consent Engineering
La Consent Engineering It was proposed by Edward Bernays, considered one of the fathers of modern public relations. Bernays developed this concept in the 1940s, especially in his book Engineering of Consent (1947), where he argues that the planned manipulation of public opinion is essential in democratic societies to guide collective behavior and facilitate the acceptance of policies, products, or ideas. Bernays applied his methods in political, commercial, and social campaigns, establishing the foundations for the strategic use of communication and persuasion in public opinion management. Consent engineering is the deliberate design of narratives and symbols to shape public opinion and justify conventional warfare.
The manuals and doctrines of fear
US governments have developed specific manuals and doctrines for psychological warfare and emotional manipulation in war scenarios:
* School of the Americas Manual (SOA): He instructed in interrogation techniques, torture, and population control through terror, widely documented in declassified NSA and CIA files.
* FM 33-1 Psychological Operations: It details methods for demoralizing the enemy, spreading rumors, and exploiting the psychosocial vulnerabilities of the target population.
* Project CamelotIt was a covert initiative for the study and manipulation of social dynamics in Latin America; its objective was to prevent revolutionary movements by generating fear and hopelessness.
Fear as a weapon: case studies
Throughout history, terror and fear have been employed as powerful tools of war and domination. The Mongol invasions of the 13th century were characterized by massacres and the systematic dissemination of tales of brutality to terrify entire cities and populations, achieving surrenders without a fight, thanks to Sun Tzu. During the Spanish invasion of these lands, now called America, extreme violence and public shaming of indigenous populations facilitated their submission and control by the colonial regime. The Nazi regime institutionalized fear through systematic repression, concentration camps, and propaganda, subjugating both the German population and its enemies. In World War II, the US dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki sought not only physical destruction but also the imposition of absolute terror to force Japan's surrender. During the Cold War, the constant threat of nuclear destruction kept humanity in a climate of fear and geopolitical tension. Finally, modern, diffuse terrorism uses panic and social destabilization as mechanisms to influence governments and societies, demonstrating that the use of fear remains a strategy used in contemporary conflicts.
Latin America and the crucible of fear
1. Operation Condor (70s-80s)
Operation Condor established a transnational network of repression, with logistical and doctrinal support from the United States. Systemic terror -- kidnappings, torture, and disappearances -- aimed not only to eliminate opponents but also to instill paralyzing fear in society. Documents from National Security Archive and testimonies collected by the National Commission on the Disappearance of Persons (CONADEP) in Argentina demonstrate the coordination and exchange of psychological techniques between dictatorships and US advisors.
John Dinges, an American journalist and academic, investigated Latin American dictatorships and Operation Condor. In his book "The Condor Years," he states that "Systematic terror, disappearances, and torture were used as instruments to paralyze society and eradicate political opposition." Elsewhere in the book, he notes, "The death of Letelier was the result of collaboration between the intelligence services of Chile and other countries in the Southern Cone, under Operation Condor."
2. The Dirty War in Guatemala (1960-1996)
With US assistance, the Guatemalan governments of Fernando Romeo Lucas García (1978-1982), José Efraín Ríos Montt (1982-1983), and Oscar Humberto Mejía Víctores (1983-1985) implemented the "scorched earth" doctrine, massacring Indigenous communities to generate terror and forced displacement. The report Guatemala: Memory of Silence The Commission for Historical Clarification (CEH) documents how fear was systematically used to break social cohesion and nullify resistance.
The report Memory of Silence (1999) states the following: "The 'scorched earth' campaigns not only sought to destroy insurgent infrastructure, but to instill a deep and lasting fear in indigenous communities, forcing them into displacement and submission."
3. Invasion of Panama (1989 - Operation Just Cause)
The 1989 US invasion of Panama was preceded by a psychological warfare campaign and culminated in the bombing of civilian neighborhoods like El Chorrillo. The use of disproportionate force and the demonstration of military power sought to provoke shock, panic, and the rapid demoralization of the Panamanian population and defense forces. Subsequently, CIA reports and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) confirm the devastating impact on the morale of the population.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights itself points out the following in its 1990 Report on the situation of human rights in Panama: "The bombing of the El Chorrillo neighborhood and the demonstration of military force generated collective panic and accelerated the fall of the Noriega regime."
4. War on Drugs and the "Death Squads" (Colombia and Mexico)
The war for control of drug production and trafficking, sponsored and financed by the U.S., has been evidenced by its tacit or direct support for paramilitary groups and death squads. modus operandi -- massacres, beheadings, narco-banners -- uses tactical terror to control territories and populations. Reports from the Colombian Truth Commission document the systematic use of fear as a tool of social and political control.
5. War against gangs in El Salvador (2000-2020)
The Nayib Bukele administration relied, and continues to rely, on U.S. cooperation to implement the "war on gangs." This cooperation includes training in psychological warfare techniques and media campaigns designed to instill fear in the population and justify the operation. Research from the Center for Latin American Studies at UC Berkeley analyzes the impact of fear on the erosion of civil rights and any possibility of insurgency.
Venezuela and the use of fear as a tool of war
For 25 years, the US government has conducted psychological and cognitive operations in Venezuela. This coincides precisely with the period of the process initiated by President Hugo Chávez and continued by President Nicolás Maduro. Throughout this quarter-century, the use of fear and terror against the population has been a recurring element in the operations carried out in the country by the US government and its internal operatives. These operatives were initially linked to the established political parties of representative democracy (AD and Copei), business interests, and oligarchic groups, and later to parties connected to financial, industrial, and commercial capital, such as Primero Justicia, Voluntad Popular, and, more recently, the political organization Vente Venezuela, from which María Corina Machado operates.
Let's look at the evolution and use of fear and terror as a tool of PSYOP to destabilize the population and legitimize the use of real US force against Venezuela.
1. 2002 Coup d'état
During the coup attempt against President Hugo Chávez in April 2002, disinformation campaigns, media manipulation, and psychological operations were carried out to generate panic, unrest, and destabilize the constitutional order. Documents declassified by the National Security Archive reveal the United States' knowledge of and logistical support for the coup plotters. Media coverage and the spread of rumors fostered collective fear. Media manipulation and disinformation were used to induce fear and legitimize the coup.
2. Blockade and economic warfare
Since 2015, the imposition of economic sanctions by the United States has been accompanied by narratives designed to generate fear about Venezuela's economic and social future. The government has exploited the fear of the "external enemy" to consolidate domestic support, while the population faces uncertainty and anxiety due to shortages and deteriorating living conditions.
The theater of operations for hybrid warfare and gray zone conflict is so broad that determining the type of aggression carried out against Venezuela ranges from economic pressure expressed through financial blockades, asset theft (Citgo, Monómeros), theft of gold reserves, and a package of unilateral coercive measures (sanctions) totaling 1.042 to date, according to figures from Venezuelan Anti-Blockade Observatory.
These operations aim to instill the perception of a failed state in the public consciousness. Food shortages -- induced scarcity, hoarding, financial persecution, and attacks on the currency -- sabotage, and covert operations against public services seek to implant the idea of an inefficient government and undermine the emotional stability of Venezuelan society.
3. Guarimbas and violent protests (2014, 2017)
The so-called "guarimbas" (violent protests and street blockades) in 2014 and 2017 were accompanied by fear campaigns waged by opposition actors. Reports from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) document the use of terror tactics: threats, the use of paramilitaries, and intimidation messages to subdue the Venezuelan population, both opposition supporters and government supporters.
4. Operation Gideon (2020)
The failed mercenary armed incursion known as "Operation Gideon" in May 2020 was preceded and followed by an intense fear campaign. This attempted invasion not only involved foreign armed actors but was revealed as a carefully planned operation, financed and coordinated by US interests and domestic operatives, who resorted to using private mercenary armies to carry out acts of destabilization and violence on Venezuelan soil. The presence of these groups, trained and equipped outside the country, amplified the population's perception of vulnerability and danger. Thus, the armed incursion became an instrument of psychological warfare, designed to generate panic and distrust in the face of a foreign invasion orchestrated by external powers.
5. Operation Lanza Sur: an expression of psychological operations
Recently, three months ago, during Donald Trump's second term, the implementation of cognitive warfare and psychological operations took a turn toward direct aggression against the country. The economic and financial blockade has become a direct siege of our maritime border, primarily along the Caribbean coast. This time, the aim is to instill in the population the idea of a rogue state, both to fabricate their consent in its cognitive dimension and to create conditions of emotional breakdown through terror and fear.
The false accusations of narco-state and terrorist organization (the Cartel of the Suns, the Tren de Aragua) used to target the Venezuelan government seek to legitimize any use of real force against the country, which generates induced pressure on the population as a whole.
Beyond the stated excuses, Operation Lanza Sur can be considered a psychological operation (PSYOP), that is, a military and media action designed to influence the perceptions, mood, and behavior of governments, political actors, and populations. The unprecedented deployment in the Caribbean and the international media coverage create an atmosphere of pressure and threat toward Venezuela, with the purpose of destabilizing, intimidating, and achieving collective submission in order to bring about political change without resorting directly to armed intervention.
Psychological operations use messages, symbols, and displays of force to manipulate emotions and influence decisions, sowing fear, insecurity, or doubt in the target population. In this case, Lanza Sur functioned as a warning message, reinforcing the narrative of international isolation and the risk of intervention, with the aim of weakening the internal morale of the Venezuelan government and increasing pressure on its allies and social sectors.